California Man Accused of ‘Targeted, Heinous Attack’ on Woman Shot Over 10 Times While Stocking Convenience Store Shelves

A man was arrested for first-degree murder after he was identified as a suspect in the shooting death of a woman working at a convenience store in California, authorities announced.

Mohammad Hussain Ataei is accused of killing 25-year-old Irma Rivera-Martinez on April 21, The Glendale Star reported.

According to officials with the Glendale Police Department, Ataei was dressed in all black clothing when he entered the store around 9 p.m. and walked to the back of the business.

There, police said, the armed suspect approached Rivera-Martinez and opened fire on her, striking her with at least 10 bullets at close range.

After the deadly shooting attack, Ataei fled the scene, police said, but detectives were able to identify him as a suspect using surveillance video gathered near the crime scene to get a license plate number off the vehicle he allegedly was driving at the time.

Police said they have not established a possible motive in the case.

“This was most definitely targeted,” said Jose Santiago, a public safety communications manager for the city of Glendale. “Our detectives are still trying to determine exactly what the motive was behind all of this. For someone to walk into a store and open fire on an individual, shooting multiple times like this individual did, this was a very heinous attack.”

Councilmember Jamie Aldama of the Ocotillo District added: “This was a targeted, heinous attack, and we condone none of it at all.”